Busy At Play

Here are a few recent highlights of everyday life with the Lewis':
"Boing!" Another yard sale find well worth the $3
Abie's friend Kaleb helping her up the hill at Safety Town
Benjamin has taken a liking to Abie's pink shoes - hopefully just because they are easy to put on?
riding his tricycle - notice the shoes?
Sitting in his "spot"on the rocks - a favorite resting spot in the yard

Bunk Beds

Yes.....they've had the bunk beds since the first of April, but here's the official announcement:
Abie & Benjamin pretty much share a room now. Mostly they just really like it. Abie still has "her" room but it's turned more into a guest room (and future baby room) since she likes the bunk bed so much. They both do really well....except nap time. Most days they have to be seperated and even then some days Benjamin decides it's much more fun to empty all the extra diapers and wipes from under the bed than to sleep. Luckily there isn't too much to get into and he will usually eventually settle down for some sleep. Otherwise they can be heard giggling back and forth as they both lay in their beds - just to laugh at each other?
Jacqie ventured by making the twin blankets for the beds since she couldn't find anything desirable in stores. Subtle color, and not "girl" or "boy." Easy to go with several colors. Eventually the sheets and pillows will coordinate also, but what's the rush?

Strike a Pose

Playing dress-up seems to be a joy! She's got matching skirt, hat, purse and gloves (not pictured) and loves them all! Then she's started doing poses - where did she learn this?

Recent Happenings

New camera, visitors, colds, birthdays and holidays make for delayed updates. Get a few glimpses of what the Lewis' have been up to these past weeks:
New bedtime routine of getting horsey rides!
Trying on Daddy's pants - "too 'mall"
Enjoying some great sunshine with sunglasses and bubbles!
"shopping" around with Abie's hat on and all
Benjmain's version of dinner time for Barbie - where is she?

Barbie Moves In

The house has been unoccupied for some time now, being substituted for an indoor gym. But Barbie, Ken and baby have now officially moved in. Abie got some "dollies" for her birthday and put them in her dollhouse. Then the furniture arrived much to her surprise.
The family (complete with dog and cat at the table) enjoyed a dinner outside. Benjamin was most fascinated by her sweet ride, while both Abie & Benjamin found the slide & playground the best part. Not pictured (for privacy purposes) was Abie helping Barbie using the potty.



Some items may need to tucked away with some of their other stuff in storage for the time being.....only time will tell how a 3 yr old girl and her 19 mo old brother handle vintage Barbie paraphernalia. Even then it should provide ample hours of entertainment!

Getting Along

A mother's dream is for her children to always get along.....Don't think this is the case for the Lewis'. But here are some good recent sibling shots:
Movie time together
a new ride in the Lewis home

Little Gymnast

It seems Abie is already headed down the path of being a little gymnast. She loves to walk the line whether it be the stone walls or wood boards outside, or the couch downstairs. She also loves making the jump from the couch to the bean bag. So far no flips, but she's all but taught herself the summer sault on the floor. And she's found several places in the house to prop herself up with her feet hanging free.

The Great Outdoors

There have been a few good days of weather amidst several days of cold and rain over the past month. So here's a couple shots of those brief moments....yes, key word FEW.
Abie tried to wash her hands - turned on the water faucet that usually has a hose attached = she got "all wet!"
walking the wall - their favorite thing to do
Abie's "beam" - old wood laid in a line....and she loves it!

Packing Peanuts

According to Taylor, Jacqie recently took a "big step." When grandma's package arrived it was immediately desired to be opened by Abie and Benjamin, so it was. This is typical....But then she let them continue to throw the peanuts all over the place. Yes it was quite the mess throughout the entire house. But it did keep them entertained the rest of the afternoon. In fact, when Taylor arrived home she was out chipping away at ice. He asked where the kids were and she replied, inside playing....go see. It came back out a few minutes later and hesitantly asked, "You did know they were playing with peanuts, right?" Apparently he didn't think she'd intentionally let them make such a big mess. She's taking that as a compliment for now.

Stuck at Home

Seems like between the really cold weather and runny noses and coughs the Lewis' have spent most of the time at home. So here's some of what they've been up to: Abie reading books to her bear & babies
Birthday cake for G-Gma Warren (since we couldn't make it to CA and it's way too cold for her to think about coming here)
Playdough time! And they actually share and play well with the few toys!
dress up in her fun twirling/dancing skirt
climbing - this is Jacqie's barbie house (no barbies or accessories present yet)
but it's been quickly adapted as a climbing toy

The Tree

Fascinated with the tree, this is the only decent shot obtained a few weeks ago. Then church was cancelled yesterday due to all the ice, this might be it!

I'm a Big Kid Now

Benjamin thinks he's all that being able to climb up to the table on the bench. If only he could feed himself better. But he does get to feel big with Abie for some lunches - those that don't require a spoon and bowl. Here are a few shots of recent things:
Benjamin enjoying his new status, Abie asking for more
Abie's behind the camera asking daddy to "mile"
Not known until downloading pictures...evidently Abie set up the same shot with the babysitter...presumably saying "mile" again - it's wondered how posed Abie made her subjects?
Abie trying desperate bad to get to go with daddy to his "meeting" - for church so he was dressed up...so she went and got on her favorite church dress in hopes to depart with him - not bad dressing herself!

Abie and Kaleb playing the piano together

Cu-up!

That's Abie-nese for "cut it up!" She's realized she can open the fridge door (not too new a feat)....and that the apples are right there on the shelf.....and that she and Benjamin really like to eat apples, and that they can eat them without mom cutting them up too! It all started when Jacqie inadvertantly gave Benjamin an apple to hold so he would possibly be content while she finished fixing dinner. She turned around a few minutes later to find he'd started eating it all his own. Abie saw this and wanted to try too. By the next day it had become a routine: Abie and Benjamin going to the kitchen and Abie fetching each of them an apple to eat. They get pretty far, even reaching the core. But it's believed they don't know to turn the apple because once they get there Abie then takes it upon herself (if Jacqie is still thinking they're playing so nicely by themselves - huh!) to get a knife out to cut it up. But as soon as Jacqie does find them she and Benjamin both promptly hold the apples out while Abie says, "cu-up." How can a mother complain with them liking such a healthy treat? Apples anyone?

Leaves!

Some pictures of Abie & Benjamin playing in the leaves:
Showing mom what he found
running circles through the pile
coming down the hill!
Wow, these are pretty neat
"here buddy" Abie helping Benjamin with leaves falling on him
where's Abie?

trying to help mom with leaves falling on her!

Temple?

Abie has recently taken a liking to pictures of temples as well as singing, "I Love to see the Temple." A few moments ago Jacqie turned on Mulan as was requested by Abie, "a Mulan? a dragon? a horseys?" As you may know it's a Disney movie and at the beginning of each Disney movie they display the Disney logo of a castle with a light or tinkerbell flying over it. As she saw this she asked, "a temple?" Close enough!

Fun Times

Cowboy Benjamin! Riding his "horse" (Abie's pushing the horse along) and wearing his hat.
Abie reading Twinkle Twinkle to Benjamin who's playing with the alarm clock